Juba.
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Overview

Juba is the largest city and capital of South Sudan. Juba is on banks of the White Nile River. In 2017, it had a population of 525,000 people.

The city has been growing quickly since it was named capital of South Sudan in 2005.

Get in

Direct commercial flights from Nairobi (Kenya Airways and others) and Addis Ababa (Ethiopian Airways) to Juba are the most popular entry routes. Charter and UN flights are also available from Lokichokio. Egyptair has direct flight twice per week from Cairo and Turkish Airlines also two per week from Istanbul.

Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways and Egypt Air provide the most convenient single carrier routes from Europe, usually not requiring a lengthy stopover.

If overlanding, daily buses run from Kampala taking a minimum of 12 hours if the roads are dry, but it only takes one broken down truck or deep flooded muddy pothole to add hours to the journey. Departure at 03:00 (Nile Coach near Gateway in the city center of Kampala) with an overnight stop in Yumbe. No regular buses run to Kenya although some trucks run the route, most Kenyan traffic runs through Uganda as the roads are in better shape.

If flying down from Khartoum, bring your passport, although you don't need a separate visa in addition to the standard Sudanese one your passport will be checked for a Sudan visa at Juba airport.

Also: daily buses run from Kampala with Sudanese ownership (LOL brand). About 12 hours. No overnight in Yumbe. Through Gulu and Atiak.

The bus is a great cultural journey, secure-but-dusty, and the southbound trip in daylight affords great views of the countryside. The northbound trip during night-time offers police checkpoints and pee stops in desolate places.

Visa Visas are required by most people entering South Sudan. However the rules surrounding their issue are unclear. Immigration officials will often invent rules to suit their own needs. At the very least, you should have an invitation letter from a local company/organisation and you will need someone with local connections to be sure of getting a visa. It is better to obtain one in London, Nairobi, Addis Ababa, Washington DC, Paris, Berlin, Geneva, Brussels, Delhi, Beijing, or other cities with South Sudanese embassies before arrival. An e-visa system is in operation as of 2026 and works well though you can only apply 1 week before arrival.

All visitors must register their presence in the country within 72 hours of arrival. Procedures have changed by February 2019. Visitors must now do this in person. A passport photo is needed and a fee must be paid. The Juba registration office is no longer near the Rainbow hotel. It is in an unmarked office on the first floor of a commercial building. Look for the crowd on the pavement outside where they fill out the form and have a photocopier.

Get around

Juba is a small town with big plans. You can walk through most of it in a few hours - however, the town is quite spread out in to 3 areas - Juba Town, Government ministries, and the Nile camps - and it's a long, hot, dusty walk between the three. It is also not recommended to walk because of the high risk of crime. If you are coming here to live and work, a car is essential to get around - although there are a lot of boda bodas (motorbike taxis) running during the day.

The roads are mostly unsealed, but you can get by in a saloon - although after a heavy rain it's 4x4 only. However, the roads are improving rapidly with much grading and tarring going on.

A good map of Juba is available in Jit Supermarket, and online at OpenStreetMap.

Wiltins Transporters. Offers 4-wheel drive vehicles to get you through the muddy roads.

See

"Greek" buildings. In the 1920s the city grew rapidly, and about 2,000 Greeks lived here working as merchants and tradesmen. Many of the city's major public stone buildings like the Ivory Bank, Notos Lounge, the old Sudan Airways Building, Paradise Hotel, Nile Commercial Bank and Buffalo Commercial Bank were developed by Greeks at this time, as were later the Central Bank and Juba Hotel buildings.

Juba Stadium. A multi-use stadium, opened in 1962 and home to the national football team.

John Garang Mausoleum. Final resting place of John Garang, who led the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement to gain independence for South Sudan in 2011. He passed away in a helicopter crash before independence was achieved. Closed to the public and guarded, but across the street is a statue that can be visited.

St. Theresa Cathedral. Built in 1952.

Do

Plan to entertain yourself as there is not much to see or do. However, due to the many expats including many Kenyans, Ugandans and the hundreds of Westerners there are numerous bars, restaurants and nightspots. There is something going on most weekends. You can also take a boat trip on the Nile, go fishing, go jogging, and there's a Hash House Harriers in Juba.

But even then if coming here to work for an extended period, bring out lots of books, DVDs, etc.

Buy

The Customs Market is the prime shopping area, with fresh fruit, over-priced building materials and the usual mix of consumer goods.

The air-conditioned JIT supermarket is next to Juba Raha Hotel. Jit advertises to have ‘everything under one roof’ and it almost does. Prices are reasonable.

Everywhere will accept Sudanese pounds, even if prices are quoted in US dollars.

Roots Project. This is a new co-op for women to make and sell traditional handicrafts, including beading, from simple single strand necklaces to complex Dinka belts and basket weaving.

Eat

The Village and Da Vinci camp are battling over who cooks the best pizza in town. Home and Away has some average food at western prices in western-ish surroundings. Numerous tent camps line the Nile, and all look the same, buffets tend to be the norm. Prices vary widely. Worth seeking out Rock City for the views over Juba.

Da Vinci's Restaurant. A bit on the expensive side, but great atmosphere and views over the Nile, sometimes has live music.

Notos Lounge Bar & Grill. A smart restaurant with outdoor seating area. The tandoori grill is recommended.

Drink

A cold beer is easy to find in Juba, in strong contrast to the North, but the best stocked bar in Juba is Fresh Freddies - everything from a 20yr old malt whisky to sambuca shots to vodka slush puppies.

Sleep

The accommodation boom is finally impacting on prices - tents are becoming less popular with air conditioned prefabs now the norm (many 'hotels' are simply a collection of prefabs). However demand, and hence prices rise, when a big conference is in town. Most accommodation is full-board, with breakfasts, lunches and dinners 7 days a week. In Juba, hotel-land hot showers are now the luxury to seek out, rather than air conditioning, which is easy to find.

Acacia Village. The top end of accommodation and at reasonable prices. Swimming pool, Tennis court and AC rooms in permanent (not plastic prefab) buildings. Very good security.

AFEX Camp. Pleasant site on the bank of the Nile river. Accommodation is in air conditioned bungalows. There is a good bar/restaurant on site with views over the Nile.

Beijing Juba hotel is expensive, but clean and efficient. Bros Hotel (on the Nile). Secure, clean, older manufactured housing (two hotel rooms per unit). 84 units with ensuite bathrooms. Air-conditioned. Power is on all night; may vary during the day. Good restaurant and grounds.

Hamza Inn. Air-conditioned, self-contained rooms with dining & conference. 3-5 min walking distance from KCB & Equity Bank.

Holiday Hotel. Good en suite rooms with TV. Bar and restaurant in the hotel. Tight security. Wired internet (free ethernet cable provided). AC and hot showers.

Juba Bridge Hotel. Offers a very nice view of the Nile. Serene and calm

Juba Landmark Hotel. Fairly large hotel with outdoor pool, restaurant, and bar.

Oasis Camp. Good for prefabs by the Nile (with free wireless internet and a small gym). Great food.

Rainbow Hotel. Popular hotel near to the US and EU embassy compounds. Good food at the restaurant.

Summer Palace Hotel. En suite rooms with hot shower, wireless internet, DSTV, Chinese restaurant

Tulip Inn. Popular high end hotel not far from the airport. Bar, restaurant with European and Lebanese menus and a swimming pool.